1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to heating and lighting apparatus for pets in general, and in particular, to an apparatus for heating bird cages and for simultaneously supplying a decorative effect.
2. Prior Art
Bird cage heaters known in the art require that at least some significant part of the heating apparatus be disposed inside the cage. In some instances, an apparatus provides a perch over a heating means, all of which is disposed entirely within the bird cage. In another instance, heating means is provided for heating a perch, with only the perch projecting inside the bird cage.
External heaters are known with respect to incubators and oother closed pet structures, but the enclosed nature of these devices makes the retention of heat a much simpler problem than that of an open bird cage.
The difficulties known in the prior art of providing a heating apparatus for a bird cage which need not be disposed therein, are overcome in the present invention by an apparatus comprising a heat and light reflective housing, having means for detachably mounting the housing to the cage, means for heating and lighting the cage disposed in the housing, and electrical circuit means for supplying energy to the heating and lighting means, including a thermostat for controlling the temperature of the apparatus. By utilizing colored light bulbs as the heating and lighting means, this invention also provides a striking decorative effect, by bathing the bird cage in the particular chosen color. Such a combination of features is not taught in the prior art.